Show us yer Soviet beauties
Discussion
Early 80’s, I was in East Berlin; I got in conversation with a taxi driver. I’m about 1.8 m, this guy towered above me, shaved head, more tattoo’s than a premier league football player and gold stars set in his teeth.
Pointing towards his Wartburg taxi, he proudly stated you can see the same lines as a BMW; they were the same company before the 2nd world war (seems he was correct) “Prior to the War, the Eisenach factories were part of BMW building high quality cars and motorcycles. After the war, Eisenach fell within Communist ruled East Germany.
I wasn’t about to disagree with him; what stood out about him, above all else, was his impeccable English.
“Your English is so good”
“Thank you, I listen to the BBC World Service every day.”
You could possibly read more into that than I did. Even so, I was impressed.
Pointing towards his Wartburg taxi, he proudly stated you can see the same lines as a BMW; they were the same company before the 2nd world war (seems he was correct) “Prior to the War, the Eisenach factories were part of BMW building high quality cars and motorcycles. After the war, Eisenach fell within Communist ruled East Germany.
I wasn’t about to disagree with him; what stood out about him, above all else, was his impeccable English.
“Your English is so good”
“Thank you, I listen to the BBC World Service every day.”
You could possibly read more into that than I did. Even so, I was impressed.
Panamax said:
daqinggregg said:
Early 80’s, I was in East Berlin; I got in conversation with a taxi driver.
Presumably you paid him in $US? English language, Western hard currency; job done.
(.....according to the film Goodbye, Lenin!, so it's not true but it's a wonderful film anyway!)
I have no idea if this is true, but the source is reliable and it's a great story.
Engineering guru and Eastern-bloc advocate Tim Bishop was bidding for some work to help introduce Tatras to the West. He decided to travel to the factory in what was then Czechoslovakia in his own 603, to impress them. Making progress somewhere in the middle of nowhere, he managed to blow the engine. Coasting to a halt outside the village garage, he quickly established that the owner had a derelict 603 out the back, with a good engine.
Somehow a deal was struck and the engines were swapped.
Arriving at Tatra's HQ, he strode into the office saying "Sorry I'm late. Blew the engine, had to swap it".
He got the business. In fact he went some way to productionising the big 613, devising a fuel injection system for the big V8 which topped out at 200bhp and was apparently rather good to drive, impressing Top Gear but ultimately coming to nothing. Four of these RHD 613-5 prototypes were built and were good for 134mph. Tatra themselves offered a higher-geared version which could hit 143mph, albeit with more leisurely acceleration.
Engineering guru and Eastern-bloc advocate Tim Bishop was bidding for some work to help introduce Tatras to the West. He decided to travel to the factory in what was then Czechoslovakia in his own 603, to impress them. Making progress somewhere in the middle of nowhere, he managed to blow the engine. Coasting to a halt outside the village garage, he quickly established that the owner had a derelict 603 out the back, with a good engine.
Somehow a deal was struck and the engines were swapped.
Arriving at Tatra's HQ, he strode into the office saying "Sorry I'm late. Blew the engine, had to swap it".
He got the business. In fact he went some way to productionising the big 613, devising a fuel injection system for the big V8 which topped out at 200bhp and was apparently rather good to drive, impressing Top Gear but ultimately coming to nothing. Four of these RHD 613-5 prototypes were built and were good for 134mph. Tatra themselves offered a higher-geared version which could hit 143mph, albeit with more leisurely acceleration.
indigochim said:
Some from a trip around the Balkans.
I really do like the Niva, not £20k like but they look a great shed. I think they either still make them or did quite recently.
your taking me back to my days in Siberia I really do like the Niva, not £20k like but they look a great shed. I think they either still make them or did quite recently.
not easy to drift with studded tyres
Edited by Purosangue on Wednesday 24th April 08:55
[quote=LRDefender]I keep on seeing some older cars from Eastern Bloc manufacturers and I think some of them are quite cool so I though I'd share a few pictures of them. I don't know the different makes so if you know who made them please share.
Proper old school Soviet classic and in original condition
This one is stunning and I guess it has been restored. No idea on the make.
That's a Pobeda or Warszawa IIRC.
Proper old school Soviet classic and in original condition
This one is stunning and I guess it has been restored. No idea on the make.
That's a Pobeda or Warszawa IIRC.
21st Century Man said:
I remember really liking them at the earls court motorshow, and they gave me a brochure. Im sure I still have it somewhersTrip said:
That's a Pobeda or Warszawa IIRC.
Turbobanana said:
indigochim said:
The Green Coupe looks to be a Gaz m20 Probeda it reminded me of a Tatra I'd seen previously 603 (rear engined air cooled v8) but completely different when I searched. The Eastern block certainly had some interesting cars and tech.
Right idea, wrong spelling. Pobeda, meaning victory.I like what they did to this Russian car.
This is the Volga V12 Coupe supercar. It is styled after the 1956-1970 Volga M21, which was the most luxurious car made in Russia.
ok,
This is the Volga V12 Coupe supercar. It is styled after the 1956-1970 Volga M21, which was the most luxurious car made in Russia.
ok,
said:
While it does resemble the Gorky Automobile Works M21, it isn’t a Volga nor is it entirely Russian. Now that you’re totally confused here’s the deal; this is a custom body built on a BMW 850csi chassis. The V12 engine is BMW’s 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V12. So essentially it is a re-bodied 850csi. With the exception of the wheels, it looks like it is a 1957 Volga coupe.
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/did-you-know-russia-made-a-supercar-here-it-is/indigochim said:
I hope these are in the spirit that the OP was after as I realise most if what I've posted are in face not Soviet but Eastern block.
A Trio of Tatra's
This is what I'd mistaken the OP's Pobeda for.
I read that a predecessor to the White 600 was from known as the Czech secret weapon during WWII as
I've always had a soft spot for the V8 air cooled rear engined Tatras!A Trio of Tatra's
This is what I'd mistaken the OP's Pobeda for.
I read that a predecessor to the White 600 was from known as the Czech secret weapon during WWII as
Wikipedia said:
I because it killed so many Nazi officers during World War II that the German Army eventually forbade its officers from driving the Tatra"
Edited by indigochim on Monday 22 April 13:55
Definitely a lotto win car!
blue_haddock said:
I've always had a soft spot for the V8 air cooled rear engined Tatras!
Definitely a lotto win car!
Depends on how much of a project you want.Definitely a lotto win car!
https://www.rajveteranu.cz/index.php?akce=vyhledat...
vetrof said:
blue_haddock said:
I've always had a soft spot for the V8 air cooled rear engined Tatras!
Definitely a lotto win car!
Depends on how much of a project you want.Definitely a lotto win car!
https://www.rajveteranu.cz/index.php?akce=vyhledat...
GTRene said:
I like what they did to this Russian car.
This is the Volga V12 Coupe supercar. It is styled after the 1956-1970 Volga M21, which was the most luxurious car made in Russia.
ok,
That’s pretty cool - good find Rene This is the Volga V12 Coupe supercar. It is styled after the 1956-1970 Volga M21, which was the most luxurious car made in Russia.
ok,
said:
While it does resemble the Gorky Automobile Works M21, it isn’t a Volga nor is it entirely Russian. Now that you’re totally confused here’s the deal; this is a custom body built on a BMW 850csi chassis. The V12 engine is BMW’s 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V12. So essentially it is a re-bodied 850csi. With the exception of the wheels, it looks like it is a 1957 Volga coupe.
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/did-you-know-russia-made-a-supercar-here-it-is/
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